Work-supporting table



G. H. FAICHNEY.

WORK SUPPORTING TABLE.

APPucATlou msn 1^.2a. |920.

1,343,553. I Patented June 15, 1920.

Y INVENTOR. Hg@- @mib/my ArRNEx UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. FAICHNEY, 0F WATERTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSILGNOI!I T0 THE RANDALL- FAICHNEY COMPANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

To all who/m, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Geenen H. FAiqHNnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Watertown, in the county of Je'erson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Work- Supporting Tables, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to improvements in work-supporting tables, and has for its object to provide a novel and simple device of the class designed especially f or supportingr a plurality of articles, while the latter are being operated upon. A further object is to provide novel means for holding the work during the operative periods, Without the use of anyextra clamping or securing means, and without danger of breaking or chating the Work, and whereby Warped or otherwise idistorted pieces of the work may be suitably sup orted While the operations are being e ected. And a further object is to provide a Work supporting member whichis adjustable in vai-ions directions for positioning the several pieces of the Work relatively to engraving or other tools.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed description which folovvs, and as illustrated by the accompanyingY drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a topplan view of the complete device and its supports; showing several pieces of work disposed and held in position to be operated upon. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on-line 2 2 of Fig. l; showing a number of engraving tools positioned above the Work on the table. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken on the line 3-3 o Fig. 4i Fig. 4 is a similar view, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; showing the Y-shaped grooves for receiving and holding the work. Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken plan-view; showing a Warped or distorted thermometer disposed in one of the Y grooves. And Fig. 6 is a broken longitudinal section; showing another distorted thermometer supported by the Y groove.

' AThe present application relates to a table Awhich has been designed es ecially for sup porting the well-known clinical and medical thermometers in common use by physicians, nurses and the lik`e,vwhile the said instru- `Inen'ts are being engraved. These thermom- Speccation of Letters Patent.

.Patented J une 15, 1920.

Application led January 23, 1920. Serial No. 353,433.

eters are made of relatively small and delicate glass tubes, in Which a very fine threadlike column of mercury is disposed. After the thermometers are iilled and sealed,they are tested and then engraved for indicating the degree of temperature, the numbers by which the degrees are read, and the Atrademark and the name of the manufacturer and hisl place of business. The engraving is done by a well-known etching process by mens of hydrochloric acid, and the first step in the engraving process consists of coating the entire glass body of each thermometer with a certain kind` of wax, which is after ward inscribed by the use of sharp needlelike gravers, the needles cutting'through the wax and exposing the surface of the glass Where the etching is to be done. Following tlie engraving operations referred to, the thermometers are dipped in the acid, which completes the said work. In order to manufacture thermometers rapidly and economically, it is desirable to dip large numbers oi the thermometers at a time, and to do this safely, the entire bodies of the tubes must be covered with the Wax, so as to prevent the acid from coming into contact With portions of the tubes which are required to be free from blemishes. The handling of these Wax-coated glass bodies during the engraving operations without chafing or marring the Wax and accidentally exposing the glass, has always been a source of great trouble and annoyance. Heretofore, during the engravin operations, the machines employed or such work were invariably equipped with various clamping devices, which etlier gripped the ends or sides of the glass bodies, and as these devices were usually controlled by tension means, they required careful and frequent adjustment, in order Vto prevent the clamping members from chafing or biting through the wax coatin s. But notwithstanding the exercise o such care, these older work-supporting devices caused considerable loss and Waste of time and materials, and in addition rendered the manu facture of tlieremometers slow, as well as quite expensive. It is a particular object ofthe present invention to remedy all of the foregoing defects and to obviate the troubles and losses resulting therefrom in a novel and simple manner, and at the same time to greatly facilitate the production of the clinical, as well as other thermometers. A detailed description of my improvement follows:

ln the drawing'. 2 represents a lranie consisting oi' posts 1S, which niark the tour corners of the frame, and upon which is rigidly mounted similar rails 4, l', the latter being held in place by srrews Lt". The railsl are disposed parallel to and have rabbeted edges f4, which lace each other. 5 designates a platform Whose opposite ends are supported by the rabbeted edges oi said rails, and said platform is adjustable longitudinally of the rails, by screws T is the removable and adjustable table for supporting the work. which in the present case consists of a pluralit ot thermometers H. The table T is prefera Vily made ot wood and lies lat upon the top tace ot the platform 5, prei'- crably between similar cleats 5'. which are rigid with the platform. liy this arrange ment, the table may be adjusted longitudinally and horizontally by sliding on the platform` as shown by thi'l dotted lines in Figs. l and 3, while both the table and the platform may be adjusted laterally by the screws 6. The table 7 is held in the opera tive position shown in the drawing entirely by gravity. The top face of the table 7 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal grooves T', all of which are substantially Y- shaped in cross-section, as shown in Figs. l, 4 and 5. These grooves are preferably parallel, and each is of suitable length to accommodate several of the relatively small thermometers S (see Figs. 'l and 2), during the engraving operations. As shown in Fig. 4, all of the thermometers S have their bottom sides 8 formed substantially VA shaped in cross-section. This is done tor the purpose of magnifying the tine threadlike column of mercury, as well as the tine graduations, numbers, &c., to facilitate their accurate and plain reading. Owing to the tact that thermometers of this class are necessarily of small caliber, the difficulty heretofore experienced in holding the small Vglass bodies during the engraving operations islovercome in the present case, b disposing the V-shaped portions 8 in the -shaped grooves 7', Whose sloping sides 7a conform to the V portions of the glass tubes, While the rounded top sides project slightly above the top surface of the `table 7, where they may be freely engaged by the engraving needles, which are shown at 9, in Figs. 2 and 4. The smaller sizes of the thermometers when placed in the grooves 7 have their V-shaped edges S partially disposed in the narrow vertical legs 7b of the grooves. By this construction andarrangement of the table 7, the thermometers are snugly received by the grooves 7,`and being somewhat assisted by gravity, are accordingly held firmly in place during the engraving operations. The table i' being made ol' wood, which is less liable to chate tlul wax coating of the thermometers, together with the Y-shaped grooves, which permit the thermometers to be applied like so many wedges, enables me to carry out the engraving operations rapidly and peri'eitly, without any danger o'll breaking the fragile tubes. or ot cli-ating or peeling the wax, or otherwise spoiling o-r injuring the work. i `urthcri'nore,the arrangement ol the grooves T is such that a relatively long and tirrn bearing is provided for each then rnometer, as may be understood from Figs. l, 2 and 3. The Y-shaped grooves also afford satisfactory means for holding the thermometers ot' the class which become warped or otherwise distorted during;` the making and trmperiiur` as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and t3., ln Fig. 5. the thermometer is shown to be warped laterally, at or near the end ontaining the mercury bulb t5", but owing tr,- the flare oir the upper portion of the ygroove the distorted bulb b" rests against one oi2 the slanting sides of the groove, While the main body tn' is lirnily seated in and held by the same groove, in the manner described. ,ln Fig. G the thermometer body is bowed or bent upwardly. In this view the Vportion of the opposite ends of the body 8 are seated in the Y groove 7', which holds the body with sutlicient firmness to prevent accidental movements during' the engraving operation. The table 7 is employed 1n connection with multiple engraving machines, wherein the gravitative engraving tools 9 are used, and as these tools approach. and engage the work sluiported by the table 7 entirely by gravity,

they perform their work with the same facility and perfection, whether the thermometers are straight and true, or warped or bent, as shown and described. Ihe grooves 7 being straight, they tend to hold the thermometers truly in the path of the gravers 9, and even Where theglass tubes 8 are distor ted, as shown, the symmetry, neatness and perfection of the engraving are maintained at all times. g

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a work-supporting table, .a rectangular plane body having a plurality of parallel Y-shaped grooves in its top face, a support for said body, means for guidingsaid body when moved longitudinally independ-A ent of said support, and means for adjusting said support for moving said body laterally in a horizontal plane. y

2. A table for supporting the'lmgteters during.; engraving Operations, comprising p,

- plane body having a plurality of vlongitudinal grooves in its to face, seid. roovosdisposed parallel to eeeA .Ot/ller, the ottemp rtions oit said grooves having.- vertioalyma ls,

the top portions of snidigrows being .fltfle 130 in opposite directions, and means for adjustably supporting said table.

3. A worksupporting table for engraving machines, comprising a plane body having a plurality of similar lon 'tudinal grooves disposed parallel and bein Y-shaped in cross-section, the o positely aring portions of said grooves a apted to conform to and provide seats for the V-shaped portions of thermometers and like instruments, a frame for holding said body level, and means for adjusting said table for positioning the work in the path of engraving tools.

4. A table for supporting thermometers during engraving-operations, comprising a plane body having a plurality of longitudi. nal furrows adapted to support the` thermometers by gravity, the top portion of said furrows flaring in opposite directions laterally and adapted to engage V-shaped portions of the thermometers, the bottom portions of said furrovvs having perpendicular walls and adapted to aiord clearance for the tips of said V-shaped portions, a support tor said table, and means for adjustin said table for bringing the centers of said grooves Within the path of the engraving tools.

In testimon whereof I aiix my signature EORGE H, FAICHEY. 

